Life Threw Me Lemons; Lived on The Streets, Had Life Threatening Asthma and Degenerative Eye Problem But Now I am Having My Lemonade – Benson Kiragu

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“My life has been a roller coaster of unforeseen and unprecedented events, but I am proud of whom I have become.” Benson Kiragu outlines as he begins to narrate his story.

I was raised by my grandparents with my two siblings in Uasin Gishu county, Kenya. The year of my birth is unknown to me, but I settled for 1985 when I was applying for a birth certificate.

The year 1992 marked the beginning of a dark phase in my life. The tribal clashes associated with the general election rocked my life and that of my family. Despite us having a home my grandparents were squatters. When the clashes began our home was torched and we had to run for our lives. 

Truth About Being a Young Adolescent

I am an angry and mad teenager. I believe I have a right to be angry and annoyed. Angry at everyone in my space. This includes me. I know being a teenager is being between the ages of 13 to 18. That it is supposed to be exciting and fun at the same time. 

It is a stage of me turning into an adult where I’m expected to make mature decisions that will determine whether my future is bright or doomed. Why am I angry again? I’m angry because I have a million things crisscrossing my small mind but with a few options of who to turn to that wouldn’t judge me. The adults are supposed to understand me. My peers are supposed to love and accept me and I am expected to fully understand myself. And yet none of these people understand me. I don’t even understand me. So I’m mad!

Vulnerability is all about being Human

Take off the mask. Put your guard down. Enough about hiding your insecurities. Today I want to talk about vulnerability. Yes! Vulnerability.

I have found that many of us look at vulnerability as a weakness and we all dread the thought of being open to people about those things we are not proud of doing or the things we are still doing that we never want people to find out about us. 

Effective COVID-19 Messages For Children; Episode 2

Unhabitat.org 

Kenya’s first case of Covid-19 case was reported on 12th March 2020 and the numbers have continued to rise drastically with 607 confirmed infected persons, 127 recoveries, and 29 deaths as of 7th May 2020. Many more citizens are getting tested and the numbers are still expected to rise.

Sadly children are part of the above statistics given to us by the Ministry of Health. World statistics and facts about the exact number of children infected and survivors are not known due to child protection issues.

Effective COVID-19 Messages for Children; Episode 1

World Health Organization has assessed that COVID-19 is a pandemic that is spreading across Counties and Continents across the world. As the Virus continues to spread it is governments are working hard to put prevention and control measures to ensure that their populations are safe.

Children are Global Citizens. They are key in the fight against Covid-19. The only message we are giving our children is to stay home, wash their hands and wear a mask. This is very true, but I believe more clear information on Covid-19 given to children by Parents and Caregivers will go a long way in reducing the spread of the Virus among them.

A Stalling Career and Broken Relationship Pushed me to Depression – Kaka Tim

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Nairobi has always been the proverbial land of greener pastures. To seek these greener pastures Kaka Tim came to Nairobi with high spirits and there is nothing he looks forward to like financial freedom. Before getting on his feet, a kind cousin offered to host him.

“My career took longer to pick up, but I remained optimistic.” Kaka Tim explains. He caught a break and got a writing engagement where the payment was based on several words. Tim worked so hard and was able to get a decent income monthly. This at the time was adequate to cater for his monthly bills.

My Difficult Childhood Unknowingly Drove me into Depression; Lily Okeyo

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“It is okay not to be okay”. This is a statement taken so casually but carries so much weight. It is estimated that 300 million people worldwide suffer from depression which is the most common type of mental disorder.  

Kenya happens to be ranked 6^th in Africa in the number of depression cases at about 2 million.  It is also estimated that 4 in 5 people who commit suicide are depressed at the time of their death. 

The most common causes of depression are biological changes experienced during pregnancy, genetic predisposition, psychological risks and social factors. (WHO, Kenya Mental Health Policy/Act 2014)

Who is an Ideal Woman?

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A while back, I was invited to be part of a mentorship session organised by the alumni of Daraja Academy. The invitation was extended as a motivational speaker and I had a hard time preparing my presentation. 

As I reflected on my High School experience to pick a learning point, one thing came to mind about the autographs we would sign as we left school. There was one question that was common in almost all the autographs I signed,, what is your ideal guy or girl?

The Narrow Escape that Never Was

Courtesy: nytimes.com

Growing up there was always something to look forward to. Do not get excited, it never was that serious but just ‘a narrow escape’. At every stage, I look forward to the next available ‘escape’.

I am told as a toddler, I looked forward to going to school since all my siblings were already schooling. In pre-school, I looked forward to Primary School because I wanted to be in the same school as my elder sister. No sooner had I wished for it than my parents took me to that school; there was some drama involved but that’s a story for another day.

Why Motivation?

Courtesy: Oxbridge Academy

For the longest time, I never believed in motivational speakers and regarded them as a scam. I could not resonate with the logic behind motivational speaking and how it impacts on life. Flash-forward to now and I am beginning to buy into the idea. Truth be told, motivation may not get you far in life, but it will definitely get you started.

Children Have Emotions Help Them Grieve

Courtesy: MN Spokesman Recorder

Recently, I have found myself engaging in conversations on children and grief. One thing that stands out is the fact that many people assume children are not able to process complex emotions. As a result, children are shielded or sidelined when it comes to grief.

You need to appreciate that, children are emotional beings. I actually think they are masters of emotional manipulation which is evident through their wide range of emotions such as tantrums, unexplained crying, hilarious laughter, and spontaneous frown which they can do even before they develop speech.

Wrong Cab Wrong Night; My Worst Nightmare

Courtesy: Fashion Reverie

We had just finished our Friday gig at a Five Star Hotel along Valley Road, and I was in no mood for chit-chat. It had been a long week and all I wanted was to go home and rest. Being a live musician, weekends are the buzziest and I needed to re-energize. I gave my fellow band members goodnight kisses and hit the road. 

Normally we head to town as a team but this day I was impatient. After all, it was Friday at 11.00 PM and the streets were much alive.

How I lost my Innocence at 7 years in My Father’s House

Courtesy: vishwavani.news

Home is meant to be the safest space and parents the greatest protectors. At least that is what I believed till the day when my world turned upside down. 

Having grown up in a typical Coastal family, having relatives at home was the norm. We were all a big happy family with relatives who received financial support from my parents. Our home was their home.

Is It For God's Glory?

Courtesy:icl.org

The morality debate is currently trending and has been trending for some months now in the country. All of us have our own definitions and perception when it comes to differentiating and understanding what is really right and wrong. We can defend and justify our actions and behaviors to others with all the energy in us. 

Today’s society has an added advantage compared to the society in the seventies and eighties. Technology has opened our eyes and ears to the world. People are more open-minded to a lot of things from relationships to accepting and embracing other people’s cultures. 

My Two Cents On Youth Training Programs Part One

Courtesy: SchoolMattaz

According to Wikipedia, Youth Empowerment is a process where children and young people are encouraged to take charge of their lives. They do this by addressing their situations and taking action to improve their resources and transform their consciousness through their beliefs, values, and attitudes.

There have been lots of talks on ways to empower or what youths can do to be empowered. This is good because youths are challenged to be open-minded, courageous, and ready to see and grab opportunities. 

Sex Conversation Parents Should Be Ready For

Courtesy:birthbreathanddeath.com

Parenting comes with tasks and responsibilities. Parents telling each other anecdotes and seeking advice on the different stages and experiences they have had while their kids were teething, crawling, learning to walk and morning struggles on their first school day are very normal. 

 

In the African culture, parents seeking advice or sharing stories of how to talk or introduce sex conversation in the home is rare.  

Sex is not a very hot topic for family bonding time. Most children teach themselves, learn from their peers, or read about sex in magazines or on the internet. 

My Life, Their Demands!

Courtesy:PinInterest

Today I want to throw a tantrum on behalf of myself and others who are tired of social demands and expectations constantly being thrown at their faces.

 

Every person’s life is a different script according to God’s purpose and will for our life. But  to most human beings we are all are expected to have the same script. Society expects you to go by its rules expectations and demands.  My plea to all of you out there is to Just let me fill out my script.  

Compare and contrast is one of the major causes of stress and depression in this modern world. Stress and depression are among the leading causes of suicidal deaths in Kenya and the world. 

Children’s Rights and Safety in The Digital Age

Courtesy: Malditang Librarian

When I think of children’s rights in the digital age, the thought leaves me in between violation of some rights while upholding others. There is a thin line between the safety of our children and exercising their rights.

The most commonly regarded definition of a child is anyone below the age of 18 years. Despite toddlers, infants and adolescents being different in terms of needs and understanding, they are all treated the same under the law.

18 years is deemed as the legal age in most countries where one gets a National Identification card and permission to purchase alcohol or even consent to sexual engagement. 

My Thoughts, My Choices, My Happines.

"Thoughts are the shadows of our feelings, always darker, emptier, and simpler." Friedrich Nietzsche. 

A thought is an idea or opinion produced by thinking or occurring suddenly in the mind. Approximately 60,000 thoughts run through the mind in a day and 95% of those thoughts are the same as yesterday and the day before yesterday.

According to Wikipedia, Thinking is the mental process in which beings form psychological associations and models of the world. It is manipulating information when we form concepts, engage in problem-solving reason, and make a decision.

Mentorship Session at St Peter's Girls Utawala

One thing that gives me great fulfillment is mentorship. Every moment that I get to impact a life is priceless. 

On 14th August I got a rare chance to speak to girls at St. Peter's Girls in Utawala courtesy of Brian Ombaka. 

Together with me were other great mentors; Dorothy Otieno, Grace Ndirangu, and Corazon Amukhale.